With the advancement in document printing devices over the past several years, users now have access to advanced printing options that formerly were available only through specialized print shops. For example, multi-function devices (MFDs) with optical scanning and printing capabilities are now available that can be connected to a computer network to not only allow printing of documents generated by computers connected to the network, but also printing of documents that are scanned on the scanner. Moreover, such MFDs may also allow for advanced job attributes to be selected for print jobs, such as color printing, binding, and different paper sizes from different paper trays or a manual feed point.
However, with this increased functionality also comes increased costs. Color copies can be significantly more expensive that traditional black and white copies, particularly in the case of color laser copiers. Thus, it may not always be desirable for an organization to give its employees or system users unfettered access to relatively expensive job attributes, as this may impose a significant increase in printing costs from unessential use of the enhanced attributes. Yet, different users within an organization may have a legitimate need for use of the enhanced job attributes, but individually authorizing the use of such resources on a case-by-case basis may be particularly burdensome and likely untenable in larger organizations where numerous print jobs are performed.
As such, certain attempts have been made to provide some flexibility as to when enhanced job attributes, such as color copying, are permitted, to reduce unessential or unauthorized resource use. By way of example, in a brochure entitled “HP color access control features” by the Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P., Nov. 22, 2005, color access control features that may be used in conjunction with certain HP printers are discussed. Color printing on the select printers may be enabled or disabled by individual users or groups, as well as by specific applications like Web browsers to help prevent users from wasting color on jobs that should be output in black and white. Pre-configured monochrome-only print drivers may also be deployed on the printers, enforced limits may be set on how many pages each user can print and copy for a given job, and color printing may also be limited based on workgroup and departmental needs.
While such color access control capabilities may be helpful, much of this control capability in the above-described approach rests with the individual printers. That is, the device stores a limited number of users or applications for which color is enabled/disabled, for example. Yet, further flexibility and functionality may be desirable for enabling/disabling color printing or other enhanced job attribute features in some applications. Moreover, it may also be desirable to control the use of such attribute with respect to scanning and/or other document processing operations.